When you are injured as a pedestrian, you may recognize that you have an opportunity to seek compensation in court, but you may not know the best way to go about getting the full and fair recovery you deserve. You know to sue the driver who hit you, but the facts of your case could indicate that there are more people or entities who owe you compensation. That’s why, whenever you’re hurt in a pedestrian accident, it is well worth your while to retain the services of an experienced San Mateo injury attorney.
One tragic case where that issue (of multiple at-fault parties) was a factor was the fatal accident that claimed the life of K.P., a Cal State East Bay student. According to a Mercury News report, K.P. was out for a jog around noon, just five blocks from her home, when the accident took place. Two men who had been street racing crashed into one another. The crash sent one of the vehicles, a Nissan Altima, careening off the road. It bounced off some utility trucks and then slammed into the jogger, pinning her against a tree, according to the report. She died at the scene.
Certainly, the driver who struck and killed K.P. would be liable to her family for the harm that he was proven to have caused. However, in a circumstance like this, the extent of liability doesn’t stop there. The other driver (the one who did not directly hit the jogger) is also liable for his negligent or reckless conduct.
By engaging in the proper steps to obtain the necessary evidence, it is possible to find even less obvious parties who still owed a duty and were negligent. These steps include obtaining police accident investigation reports, all videos and photos of the crash and/or crash scene, and all statements made by eyewitnesses about the accident.
In K.P.’s case, the jogger’s family was able to discover that the Altima, during the crash, bounced off some utility trucks. The evidence also allegedly showed that a lack of adequate guardrails played a role that contributed to the Altima’s hitting and killing K.P.
These things allowed the jogger’s family to expand the reach of their lawsuit. In addition to the drivers, the family was able to name as defendants the utility and the city. The utility was liable, according to the family, because its trucks involved in the crash were parked illegally. The city was liable because it allegedly failed to install adequate guardrails in the area.
Using the proof accumulated, the family was able to secure settlements from the drivers and the utility. Additionally, the family recently reached a settlement with the city for more than $700,000.
No amount of money can replace a loved one taken too soon. However, a civil lawsuit may help meet urgent financial needs and may also accomplish non-financial goals as well – such as raising awareness about a road safety issue (as was the case in K.P.’s family’s lawsuit.)
For skillful representation to meet all of your litigation goals, contact the experienced San Mateo pedestrian accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos. Our attorneys have been providing reliable advice and advocacy for many years for people hurt in vehicle accidents. To set up a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.
The Family of a Jogger Killed by a Street Racer Secures Settlements from the Drivers, a Local Government and a Utility
